Chapter 9, The Ghost Wall

By the way, what should we do? It was daytime when we came, but now it really is a bit frightening! As soon as I hear "Baijia Graveyard," I get goosebumps all over.

Ah! It's the ghost fire! I shouted, disregarding Dog Egg and Big Fool, and charged forward recklessly on my own

After running for a few miles, the three of us were already panting with exhaustion, and we paid no attention to whether it was dark or not; it was late regardless, so we walked leisurely towards the village

The moon slowly hid behind the clouds, and the evening breeze grew stronger. I could not tell what kind of bird it was, but it was making a raucous noise nearby. Mice or something like wild rabbits were startled and fled into the distance, causing the wild grass to rustle...! ... I felt my heart rise to my throat, and my breathing gradually became more rapid

Only then did we see the weasel standing in front of us, softly whimpering as it slowly moved forward, glancing back at us as it walked

Without further ado, early the next morning, the three of us went to the large pond that was situated far from the village. The nearby pits and ditches were frequently visited by people, and the fish and shrimp there were hardly enough to catch. Even if we managed to catch some, they would only be small fish and shrimp that had little market value; they certainly would not be anything valuable! Although the river had plenty of water and large fish, it was difficult to catch them because the water was flowing.

After walking for about half an hour, we arrived at the infamous haunted "sacred ground"—the Baijia Tombs! Before we even reached the entrance, a gust of wind blew by, causing the surrounding wild grass and leaves to rustle ominously! Just as I sensed something was amiss, something—whether a wild rabbit or a mouse—suddenly darted past me, sending chills down my spine and making my hair stand on end! If it weren't for the presence of my companions, I would have turned around and fled!

Just as we were endlessly discussing what to buy, a graveyard appeared before us. Upon closer inspection, it was over; this time we had returned to that hundred-family graveyard

Upon thinking of this, I became even calmer. The three of us walked forward side by side in a straight line

Looking back, that ghostly fire had not followed me, and the Hundred Family Grave was no longer visible behind me. I gradually calmed down, having finally passed through that detestable yet unavoidable Hundred Family Grave without incident

It turned out that, for some unknown reason, we turned back again, and the Bai Jia Cemetery, which we had just passed, reappeared before us

The moon gradually hung on the branches of the tree; although it was not very bright, it was still better than nothing. After walking a few more miles, Dog Dan suddenly stopped.

We made a very accurate judgment; indeed, there were quite a few fire-headed carp (grass carp) in that remote large pond. Coupled with our years of fishing experience, we caught more than ten fish about a foot long in just one morning, along with several large eels. Even more exciting was that while we were digging for eels, we inadvertently caught two large soft-shelled turtles, also known as yuan fish, which some people refer to as tortoises.

Perhaps it is due to our excessive fishing, bird-catching, and killing, or perhaps it is simply bad luck; in any case, when a person is down on their luck, even drinking a sip of cold water can get stuck in their teeth! Just as I had not yet recovered from the fear of encountering a ghostly wall, I stumbled upon something even more horrifying—a headless corpse! This is what is colloquially referred to in rural areas as a "half barrel"

Just as I reached the limit of my fear, a ball of blue, shimmering light unexpectedly appeared near the grave, staring at us with a haunting gaze like the eyes of a monster

As the sun had already set, there were no mobile phones or telephones at that time to inform my family, and there were no public buses or taxis available. Therefore, after purchasing a few packs of matches, I had no time to wander around the market and could only hurriedly set off on foot towards home

By this time, I had also calmed down. This is how people are; when real danger presents itself, they become composed instead. The desire to survive suppresses the fear and panic within their hearts

Just when I was feeling weak all over and on the verge of collapse, a familiar figure appeared before us: a weasel, a large weasel, the very one I had spared twice! Yes! It was the same weasel from the haystack at the edge of the village, the one with whom I had crossed paths twice and had let go twice!

It is worth considering that I am not the only one passing through there. Moreover, the Baijia Cemetery is an unavoidable passage on the way home, with no alternative routes available. I can only heed the words of the fool and brace myself to move forward.

Not only Dog Egg and I, but even the utterly fearless Hu Dashan brother was left speechless, staring in astonishment!

The more we fear it, the less it will work. This time, let us keep our eyes on the road and move straight ahead! Let’s see if it can stop the three of us! Dogdan also displayed an admirable calmness and composure

Ah, don't leave just yet, I just remembered something. We are about to arrive at the Baijia Cemetery, are you afraid?

Just as I had just calmed down, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, and walked a short distance forward, not only I, but even Dog Dan and Big Fool were also taken aback this time

There is little meaning in my days spent wandering around with Dog Egg and Big Fool, and the adults complain that we are idle and not engaged in proper work. Although at that time we had no legitimate work to pursue, it is indeed true that we were idle. Observing the old man Hu Changlai from the village catching fish and shrimp, which he could exchange for a few copper coins in the county town, the three of us discussed and decided to take action the next day. While we may not excel in other tasks, when it comes to fishing in the water or climbing trees to catch birds, each of us has our own unique skills and does not yield to the others.

After walking for about the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, I believe we have already ventured far away from the Hundred Family Tombs. The three of us finally let out a sigh, and our mood gradually relaxed. The topics of conversation shifted from the earlier discussions about ghostly encounters to how much money we made today, what we plan to buy with that money, and so on.

Do not panic, do not panic! Brother Yanzhen! Dog Egg and Big Fool are calling out to me while closely following me...

Alright! Big silly brother, I am not anxious; this time it all depends on you! I said calmly

With these, I will surely be able to exchange them for a considerable amount of copper coins or Yuan Shikai silver dollars at the market! After having a casual lunch, I set off with my spoils towards the market located over twenty miles away!

I did not know how far I had run; it was only when Dogdan and the others caught up with me that I stopped, realizing I was drenched in sweat, and my hair was as wet as if I had just washed it

The yellow weasel led us out of the Hundred Family Tombs, brought us to the village entrance, and called out twice loudly, as if it were very happy, before quickly disappearing into the night...

A powerful sense of fear began to rise from within me, surging straight to the top of my head, causing my hair to stand on end. There was a chilling sensation of impending doom, making me feel as if someone had pried open my skull and poured a bucket of icy water over me, leaving me cold all over and my eyes aching

Damn it, it turns out we have encountered a ghost wall! The big fool was cursing furiously, "This time, you two don't panic. With me here, no one should be afraid. Running away won't help!"

"What are you afraid of! The three of us are together at m.hetushu.com, those things really dare to come out of the grave to scare us! No need to be afraid, Brother Yanzhen, I'm here!" The big fool patted his chest, full of bravado

As winter departs and spring arrives, flowers fall and bloom. In the blink of an eye, it is once again a spring where the grass sprouts green and the birds sing joyfully

In any case, we are at our wit's end and can only let it proceed as it will... After an unknown amount of time, we finally broke free from that graveyard, and the familiar village gradually appeared before us...

After careful observation, we passed straight through the few large graves, walking side by side with determination. We believed that our hearts remained steady, not veering off course, and that those decayed bones could not obstruct our path. Hmph! A ghost wall! The elders say that these things merely confuse the mind, causing one to walk in circles without actually creating a wall ahead that prevents passage.

Upon arriving at the market, I realized that the sale of fish and related items occurs primarily in the morning, with very few buyers in the afternoon. After waiting for nearly an hour, not a single person came to make a purchase. Later, with the guidance of a kind-hearted individual, I delivered my goods to a restaurant at the market, exchanging them for a large stack of what appeared to be a considerable amount of gold yuan coupons, which in reality could not buy much.

"It's a rabbit! Yan Zhen, don't be afraid. If it weren't for the darkness, I would definitely catch it and eat its meat!" Da Sha indeed has the inherited genes of his father, Hu Da Dan, which makes him quite different! With him by my side for protection, I cleared my throat, steeled my courage, and walked forward between Da Sha and Gou Dan.